Board of Finance reviews FY2026–27 budget, sets April 7 public hearing

The Town of Simsbury Board of Finance on March 10 reviewed proposed operating and capital budgets for fiscal year 2026–27 and approved a legal notice setting a public hearing for April 7, 2026, at 6 p.m. at the Friends of the Library Program Room.

Chair Lisa Heavner and staff outlined the package: total proposed appropriations of $130,995,939, a 2.34% increase from the prior year, with the Board of Education asking for $90,708,518 (about a $2.4 million increase, or ~2.79%) and the Board of Selectmen proposing $30,628,420 (about a 3.39% increase). Finance Director Amy Meriwether said the balance to be raised would increase roughly 2.88%, and that grand-list growth offsets part of the mill-rate impact.

Superintendent Matt Curtis presented the Board of Education budget, saying the starting point for negotiations was a 3.85% increase (about $3.4 million) driven mainly by personnel. He told the Board that special-education costs are stabilizing, outlined roughly $1.1 million in reductions (including 4.8 certified FTE and 1 administrative position), and said limited additions total about $212,000 for positions such as a 0.6 FTE speech-language pathologist and nursing services at Henry James. Curtis also said the BOE plans to use reserves in a Chromebook insurance fund to offset equipment purchases and that a late increase in health-insurance costs added about $400,000 to the BOE’s expenditures; the BOE accommodated that change with staffing reductions and use of grant and non-lapsing funds.

Members pressed staff on the implications of using the non-lapsing fund and whether that could create a funding "cliff" in later years. Curtis said the non-lapsing fund is expected to cover one-time equipment and supplies costs and remains strong after planned use in FY27; the BOE has no formal written policy on the fund’s use but approves expenditures with reporting to the Board.

First Selectman Wendy Mackstutis presented the Board of Selectmen budget, outlining a 3.39% expenditure increase and a proposed 2.15% mill-rate increase. Mackstutis said the BOS increased a proposed contribution for the Simsbury Volunteer Ambulance Association from $60,000 to $200,000 and recommended funding that expense from the capital improvement plan (CIP) rather than the operating budget. She also described a reallocation of the Business Resource Coordinator position to a half-time in-house role supporting economic development and said the Library budget was developed this year using a "zero-based" review.

Board members questioned how the mill-rate change aligns with department-level percent changes; town staff responded that net-expenditure calculations and grand-list growth reduce the mill-rate effect. The Board also debated vacancy-rate assumptions: Town Manager Marc Nelson and Chief of Police Nick Boulter said higher-than-typical departures in 2025 had driven an increased vacancy assumption tied to expected hiring timelines.

Members discussed a proposed policy change shifting more small capital funding to capital reserves rather than building it into the operating budget, and asked for clearer procedures and project start/end dates on all CIP sheets. Staff said the long-term goal is to incorporate small capital into operating budgets but acknowledged the change represents a policy shift.

Procedural actions: Mr. Bert Helfand moved to approve the legal notice and set the public hearing for April 7, 2026; Dr. Lalitha Shivaswamy seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. The Board later approved the February 17, 2026 minutes (motion passed; Mr. Helfand abstained) and adjourned at 9:41 p.m.

Next steps: The Board of Finance will hold the publicly noticed hearing on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the Simsbury Public Library Friends Program Room to receive public comment on the proposed Board of Selectmen and Board of Education budgets and the FY2027 CIP.